Text description provided by the architects. This eye-catching car park in Zwolle has its own distinctive look. Form and function are inspired by a voyage along the Silk Road through Central Asia, where travellers converge in a caravanserai, a place that provides caravans with shelter for the night. Eastern hues and patterns adorn the facade of the garage. It curls elegantly around the building, juts out at the top and is an accumulation of raised bricks. The masonry has five different patterns, which are magically accentuated by spotlights after sunset. That creates an almost dreamy atmosphere. Like a fairy tale.

The car park’s roof consists of 800 square metres of solar panels. Smart routing limits the needless emission of exhaust fumes, and the energy-efficient LED lighting system only turns on when there is activity. Sustainable visitors can charge their cars at one of the 28 charging points, and nature is welcome here as well. Green hanging plants adorn the rear facade, and there are nesting and shelter spots all around the car park for swallows and bats. Sustainable in nature, the car park conforms to Dutch BREEAM standards.

Drawing

The location between the heart of the city and the A28 motorway was strategically chosen. With its warm appearance, the car park is a bridge between Katwolderplein, the Pathe cinema and the centre of Zwolle. It’s a caravanserai of our time: an oasis for the visitors and residents of a busy city.

© Arjen Schmitz

• Architects

  Dok architects

• Location

  Zwolle, The Netherlands

• Category

  Sustainability

• Lead Architects

  Liesbeth van der Pol

• Other participants

  Patrick Cannon, Ernst Verwijnen, Ruben Visser

• Area

  22000.0 m2

• Project Year

  2017

• Photographs

  Arjen Schmitz